Trip to Wonder Lake

Denali National Park Travel Blog

Happy 4th
of July.Today was one of our best
chances to see Mt.McKinley as we were going
85 miles into the park.As we found out
there are many opportunities to see the mountain in this area.

The day
dawned clouded even spitting a few drops of rain as we drove into the
park.We climbed onto the bus at 6:45
am.With hopes of seeing wildlife and
perhaps the mountain.

The sky
was clearing as we made our way into the park.At the 9 mile point, where the mountain is first visible we could see
perhaps half of the mountain.Maybe,
just maybe, the sky would clear more.Seeing Mt.McKinley is on my bucket
list.

The
wildlife was only just a little easier to see.We did see a porcupine early on and the head of a beaver as it swam in
its pond, but then there were few animals to be seen.

When we
neared EielsonVisitorCenter, Denali
once again came into view and at least 95% of the mountain was visible.There were clouds behind, but just about all
of the mountain could be seen.As the
day progressed the animal viewing and the mountain got better.The sun finally brought out the mountain, and
we passed a mother moose, and two grizzly bears with their young.We saw several caribou and were really
close-up and personal with a flock of Dall sheep close to the road.

Off to the
side of the road, we found a bull moose with a very large rack of antlers.

We met a
very interesting couple on the trip.They were from Holland
and were bicycling around the world.They started in Turkey,
headed east through Asia and were now in Alaska.They have been traveling for two years and
expect to be traveling at least two more years.The only traveling not done on bicycle was to get places you could not
peddle to like Hawaii.

The trip was long, 11 hours, but very rewarding,
and there is one thing off of my bucket list.